A healthy way to raise money

Digital agency Engage is on a mission to become the UK’s healthiest agency through its unique initiative ‘Elympics’ which sees employees raise money through exercise for charity.

Now in its fourth year, the Engage team have raised over £36,000 for local Leeds charities; earned through a combination of cycling, walking, running, gym workouts, swimming and rowing. As well as taking part in organised events such as Park Run, the Abbey Dash and Total Warrior at Bramham Park.

Engage has also donated their time through volunteering and lending their digital skills, which they were awarded a District Chief Superintendent’s Commendation by West Yorkshire Police for earlier in the year, for its outstanding contribution to communities in Leeds.

In the past 12 months alone, the team have raised a record £10,803, the biggest annual fundraising total so far, for chosen charities CATCH, Sunshine and Smiles, Open Country and St George’s Crypt.

Commenting on how the money raised has helped them, is Ailith Harley-Roberts from Sunshine and Smiles: “The Engage Elympics have helped us to deliver a variety of activities and support to children and young people with Down syndrome across Leeds; for example, fortnightly swimming sessions, fortnightly football sessions, singing, music and helping us to run our shop and cafe, 21 Co., in Headingley.

“Sunshine and Smiles relies solely on grants and fundraising to run all of our activities and all of our support and services are free to our families so the amazing fundraising via Engage has meant we can keep running our groups & also means we can keep them free for all of our families. Thank you!”

Alex Willcocks, Director at Engage, said: “We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved through our fundraising initiative. All the charities we support are local and worthy causes where we can follow the story of the funds raised to see the measurable difference we’re making.

“It’s also helped us to build a happier and healthier workforce through the power of exercise. This is especially true in these current times, whilst we’re working from home and social distancing as a result of the coronavirus. Elympics is a real catalyst to ensure employees still get out for a walk, a run or even a bike ride, helping with their overall mental and physical wellbeing.”

For more information about Engage or if you’d like to run Elympics at your work please visit: engageinteractive.co.uk to get in touch.